Carved

by Miki

  I just start talking. I don’t talk about how the battlefield looked, or any the gory details. I do ask if anyone had heard if the children were better. One of the cooks said she’d seen them all this morning. She had cooked their breakfast. “My lady queen, they’re whole and healthy. They’re in the hospital wing only because that’s where we have room. They’re healed, not a scratch on ‘em.”

  I’m relieved. Nonetheless, I don’t let go wanting to kill the murdering scum that attacked them, decimating their village and left them young orphans. I failed them. I need to double my efforts to make it up.

  Jose puts a hand on my shoulder, bringing me back from my deep thoughts. I hug him a hello. The kitchen personnel leave so we can converse without interruption as they complete their tasks around us. A cup of chai tea in my hands, I lean back in my chair. “What do we know now, Jose?”

  “Not much, the older child is named Pi. He’s given us the most information. He said that the soldiers who killed his village came all at once. Just appearing, they started killing without a word. No warnings or talking at all. He said a tall man who looked like a shaman in a black robe was in the middle of a bunch of wooden robots. The Crafted is what he was referring to. It’s a good guess the shaman is Barat. He said the shaman had a staff with a crystal on top of it. The crystal had lightning in it, as he describes it. That was all he knows. After that, the Crafted started eating him. The two girls do not speak, at all.”

  “Do you have any ideas? What we can possibly do to help?”

  “It might take a few days, Kendra. I am sorry. We can only wait. I wish it was different. Waiting for another attack makes me feel terrible. I’m in the same situation as you—very little to go on. We had thought we were getting close to a location of his lair. That was this destroyed village. When we see this process again, we can go in faster. We can’t be there before the attack, I’m sorry to say, but that’s our best chance for now. We have every available agent assigned to surveillance, gathering information, and infiltration rebel factions”

  “I’ll check with my people. If they know anything, I’ll share it as soon as possible. I have to plan a test for my consort Spar, so the gargoyles will trust him to defend them. Crazy, I know. If it were any other gargoyle and not my consort, I’d change the tradition. As it is, I’ll let him finish the testing then I’ll change it. He’s a good fighter, so I have no doubt he’ll pass easily.

  I give everyone hugs goodbye. I’m going to portal straight to Jericho. I hope that’s okay, and he isn’t in the middle of something. I make it too the mage’s lab in seconds.

  “Jericho,” I call out, “are you here?”

  He pops up from behind a table cluttered with old books and what looks like trash. His room in the caves looks like what I would have thought Merlin’s cave would look like, right down to a crystal cave off to the side, small but beautiful like a geode. There’s a smooth, man-sized area in the shiny crystal, I imagine he sleeps there.

  “That’s beautiful Jericho. Do you sleep there?”

  “Sometimes I am drawn to sleep there. It’s a chance I take. There have been times I slept for months at a time. When I sleep in the crystal cave, it shows me things that have been and some that can be. Sometimes, it even warns me of things that are happening. Before you ask, I have tried to see if I can find Barat, but not even a second of information will it share. You should try, Kendra. It’s open to you at any time. I’ll guard over you if you should choose to sleep there, do not fear.”

  “I’ll do that soon. I dream nightmares when I dream,” I tell Jericho. I change the subject, “I’ve been to Scotland to check on the children.” that put a smile on his face.

  “I believe, I’ll go to Fiatril Hall today to see the children myself. I have some toys and books for them. I need to make sure Jose knows that I need to help them forget the Ceorfan before they find them homes.”

  “Good thinking. I’ll get better at remembering to protect my people, Jericho. I should have thought of that first.”

  “Don’t worry, you are doing fine. One person cannot be and do everything, even a queen, dear. You really should try the dream cave.”

  “Do you mind if I do it later? I’m hungry and want to visit the lunchroom. If you go with me, I’ll cook for you. I need to talk to you about the TASS intelligence.”

  We walk and talk as we go. He has a vague memory about a staff with a crystal similar to the one Pi described. He’ll look it up later.

  I cook us some pasta with sweet peppers, carrots, jalapenos, and chicken with a little white wine in the sauce. He helps me clean up when we finish. “I need to have the High Guild meet tonight to give them the information Jose had told me earlier today. Then I’m going to the Halls of History to search for clues.”

  He agrees. “The more who are working on finding a solution the better.”

  We go our separate ways, intending to share tonight what we find: me in the Halls and him to his cluttered cave laboratory to research the staff.

  As soon as I reach my destination I start reading, searching for a clue.

  A shuffling breaks my concentration and I take my nose out of the etching I’m studying. I relax, seeing Spar, my hot test contestant. Time’s gotten away from me. I had no idea it was dark already. It’s always the same in the cave, lit rooms without windows. One would think I’d miss seeing the sun, but it isn’t that way for me at all.

  “Are you finding anything, beautiful?”

  “Yes, just not what I want to find. There’s a lot of information I need to absorb for sure. I hope if I keep reading the histories, I’ll stumble across the one thing that’ll help us discover where Barat is hiding by accident. No real logic to my search at all.”

  “Well, some crazy hot queen called a meeting in the conference hall while we slept. I’m here to make sure you show up. It’s almost time to start.”

  “Oh great! Let’s go. I need to tell everyone what I learned at Fiatril Hall today.”

  When we get to the conference room, I greet everyone. Then start telling them why I called the meeting. I don’t want to keep them from their families, but I need to find information of the staff Pi saw at last night’s massacre.

  I tell them, “The children we recued are doing well. Jericho, did you see them and talk to Jose about removing their memories of gargoyles before they’re adopted?”

  He nods his head, “Jose has agreed. Jose repeated to me the same information he gave you—that they would have families soon. He has his people working on it as we speak. He also brought up he hasn’t found anything about the staff yet. He will keep looking though.

  Jewel, one of the Members, sketches something on her tablet and shows it to me. It’s a staff with a crystal on top like I’d described.

  “Tell me more Jewel—everything you know, no matter how small.”

  “My queen, Traver has a family heirloom, a staff called Caor Thintri. The name means ‘ball of lightning.’ It is a relic found on the battlefield during the old wars by his family. The stories say that it can transport whole battalions at once.”

  “Someone get Traver, please—bring him here.” What are the odds? Does anyone else know any other facts concerning Traver and this staff?”

  Member Slateri, said, “I saw Traver with it not long ago, but remember nothing else. I wonder if magical items are common in Navan.”

  “Jericho, does this ring any bells for you?”

  “That staff was actually a tool Baratium had conjured in his days as a novice. It was used by him in the mage wars. It fell from his hands when he was taken. The Traver family was the ones who had captured him. That is why they have the staff. It was a gift from Queen Leta to a loyal brave family.”

  Mica brings Traver to the conference room in cuffs. I tell him what we’ve discovered and that his family staff is a tool being used once again to aid the enemy. I ask him, “What do you have to say?”

  “I say anything I can do to aid the killing and eradication of the human pestilenc
e infesting the world is worth any punishment I might have inflicted upon me.”

  That’s when Spar comes in with Traver’s wife and father. They’re surprised to see him cuffed and being questioned. Glancing at Traver to see his reaction to his family makes me sick. Via his body language, he doesn’t give a rip. There’s not a single concern or worry in his demeanor for his family. Definitely no shame for his actions. I give them the specifics of what’s going on and why we believe Traver’s an accomplice to Baratium. They both blanch. His father is mortified. He asks him, “Why, would you do this, son?”

  Traver tells him, “Because I want to live normally, in the sun and see all the Ceorfan live normally outside if that’s what they want. To be free. Barat promised me we could when they kill all the humans.”

  I’m not sure when it happened, but this gargoyle has gone off the deep end. His perspective is terribly skewed. He’s not only endangered the Guild—he’s committed treason and has no remorse. He’s gone against the highest law the Ceorfan have: to protect others. All others.

  “Jericho, will you spell Traver to tell us all the information he knows about Baratium and the Horde, especially their location?”

  Immediately he walks over to Traver, who is struggling to get out of Mica’s strong grip. It’s not possible; it’s a valiant try, but useless. Mica’s very strong, and he holds him steady for the mage.

  Jericho is mumbling under his breath. He touches a stone to Traver’s temple. It looks like it sticks there then we all see a holo-like projection of him giving the staff to Barat. Jericho asks him where Baratium is located. He tells us exact coordinates of an underground facility.

  “Place him in confinement,” I say to Mica. I’m not even sure where we incarcerate prisoners. I need get more acquainted with Navan. Lots of questions here.

  “Count de Treon, I need the Chairman of TASS on speaker. Does anyone else have any information on this subject.

  Traver’s wife forces her voice out of a dry throat. “I overheard a conversation last night. Another invasion is planned for tomorrow. I didn’t understand, but now it makes sense.” She gives us every detail she remembers of the conversation.

  Traver’s father is another subject; he’s crying, completely depressed. He says, “I did not raise Traver to be that way.”

  “What do we do with gargoyles who break the law? Is this new, just since I’ve been queen?” I ask no one in particular, addressing the entire High Guild.

  The Members tell me they’d had gargoyles who went bad, but it’s rare. They state that some of the Ceorfan in the last few years have had similar feelings to Traver’s. No one would act on those feelings as he did though.

  I need to think. First, I need some advice from Mega. I tele-speak to him. “Will you please escort Traver’s family to my office? They do not need to be a part of his sentencing.”

  “Yes, my queen. I am sorry you are put in such a situation. I’ll be in your office with them until you tele-speak for me to return.

  The wife helps the father, letting him lean on her for support when they leave the room with Mega. I rub my hands over my face. “Traver, do you have anything to say in your defense?”

  He goes on for several minutes about how he’s proud of what he’s done. The last thing he says is that he’ll kill me too when he gets the chance.

  When he finally shuts up, I ask everyone in the meeting, “Go around the room, what punishment would you give Traver?”

  Clifton repeats the consensus and says, “Death. You can’t change what happened, but to let him live after endangering the entire human race and the Ceorfan would be a case of punishing the victims to let him go. It’s the law. This is the consensus of the members.”

  I say, “Thank you all for your honesty. I’m sorry. It grieves me that I’m the queen who must institute the punishment, taking another gargoyle from us. I see no other way. He will be put to death tonight. I’ll ask his father and wife if they wanted it in private or public, and if they would like to see him first.”

  Tele-speaking to Mega again, I say, “Please bring them back in. Traver will be put to death. I need to inform his family.”

  I tell them the verdict as gently as I can. They are both crying. They both decide a private death, with a pulse after to the Guild, is best. They want the chance to say goodbye.

  “Let’s go—I don’t want to delay the inevitable. Jericho, please, walk with me. All who are in attendance, come with us.”

  Mega takes us to a series of cave rooms where they have magic forcefield walls to hold incarcerated. Traver stands behind of one of these walls. Jericho is mumbling. Mega turns off the barrier. He tele-speaks, “It is safe. Jericho is holding the prisoner still with a spell. Jericho also says to tell you it is not the same as with Eltira. It is all spell.”

  “Thank you, Mega.”

  “Traver, you have been found guilty of treason. Genocide of the human race will not be tolerated, nor will the endangerment of the Ceorfan Guild, our people. You are sentenced to death. Your father and wife would like to tell you goodbye.”

  We back up to the other side of the room to give them a little privacy.

  “Jericho, I’m so sorry. It’s not my intention to make you the royal executioner. Please forgive me.”

  “Pulse of our hearts, I feel your pain. I wish it were not so. Make sure that when you pulse after this deed is complete, tell everything. Including how hard it is to make these decisions, but why they are necessary. You have the authority as Queen. Be strong—do not waver in your resolve.”

  “Okay. Let’s get this over with.”

  I tell Traver’s father, “His name is still etched in the city. He will be remembered. Are you both sure you want to stay, or shall I have someone escort you home?”

  “No, we will stay.”

  Jericho comes forward with another stone. He holds it out. It shines like a flashlight. Everywhere it shines on Traver he dissolves. Shortly, there is only a pile of dust.

  His family leaves first, with tears in their eyes. One by one, we leave also.

  I reach a hand out to Mica. He gathers me to his chest. I cry my aching grief out in his arms. He stays there for me. Spar is at my back holding me as I press into him and Mica. Kino is at our sides with his head leaning on my neck. My head presses on his when I’ve finally cried enough.

  Lifting my head, I dry my eyes with the back of my hand. My goyles are here for me, I can feel their heartbeats. I can also feel they hurt for me. I want to make them feel better. “Will you pulse the Ceorfan with me?”

  As soon as I say it, I know it’s a very good decision. Our people need to see us as unified and strong. They all agree. We stand right where we are, arm in arm. I start the pulse, putting my heart into it—but a strong message also. I sense Kino join in first, then the others. The wave goes through all of Navan, telling the story of today, of our danger and grief.

  We go back to the conference room where Clifton has the TASS chairman on the line. I ask him if he has any questions, or if what Clifton has told him is clear. He says he has enough and will get back with me when they investigate. He’s sending soldiers to the coordinates Traver has given. No delay. We need to know if they’re still at the same location, how many are there, what their defenses are. Then we’ll have more planning to do later.

  I hang up after I say, “I’ll be waiting for your call Jose.”

  Thirty-Three

  Test

  Kendra

  Tonight is the night.

  Tonight, Spar will conquer his final test. The moon’s full and the emotions of almost everyone are electric. When he defeats the fifth and final test, Spar will integrate into the Ceorfan as one of the Elite Warriors. Spar is testing tonight, I will command. I will not put my finger, or claw, on the scale of the test. I will, though, make damn sure no one else does either! Tonight, I finally will act as regent before the entire Guild. Tonight will be entertaining, inspiring, and it’ll most certainly be memorable. Rare is it for a Carved to
be admitted to the Guild, it’s rarer still for a Carved becoming an Elite Warrior. Tonight, I will help my people live with joy.

  Through my assistant and High Guild Member, Count de Treon, I ensure the High Guild convenes. Their job, oversee the test and to integrate Spar into the Elite Warriors after he completes his task. My final act in this upcoming spectacle is to instruct the High Guild to hold the beginning of the test in the arena. I want all the Ceorfan to attend.

  The festival-like atmosphere, around the arena, has brought out the cosmopolitan gargoyles. The oddball, the kooky, the laborer, the elegant, and the regal all compete for a view of the coming event. Gargoyle vendors are selling all kinds of food and drink. Some I know, others I’m interested in, and still others, I’d prefer to never see again. Others are selling various whimsical trinkets, edgy stickers, and cards—some with Spar’s nude picture. Others sold some styluses and tablets with his likeness and name on them. There are still other vendors with many types of imaginative doodads. The oddest item sold is a framed picture of Spar and me together. Surprised, I ask, “When did they get those?” to no one in particular.

  Spar

  The Count brings the crowd noise to a halt when he steps into the arena. In his most authoritative voice, he announces the beginning of the test. He calls me forward. This is the worst part, I’ll bet.

  A member of the High Guild comes forward and faces me. He’s a medieval-looking gargoyle, a real demon; his name is Grit. In a serious, take-no-shit voice, he tells me the rules. They are few.

  “We have placed this stone—"a hologram of a large green, pillow cut topaz is blown up for everyone to see “—In the Ranger post building 10. You are to collect this stone and return it to the hands of the Pulse of Our Heart. Then, and only then, will your test be complete. In this test, you will battle five gargoyles along your journey. You will not know when or where they will show up. They are not friends. They will do their best to stop you. If anyone interferes, they will void your test. You will be given another test at a later date. You must prove you are a master in battle to become integrated with the Elite. If you complete your task, you will be a member of our finest warriors and added to the Ducere of the Elite Warriors. Good luck, young Spar. I bless your going with stone and magic. When the pulse is echoed, you must start.”